Midsummer Lullaby
by Ikakamda
Summary: Plot Bunny: Before Yuri came to the Great Demon Kingdom, Wolfram got pregnant. The father left him. And to top it all, Yuri appears and proposes. What will happen, when the new king learns about the baby? Warning: this is containing mpreg
1. Prelude

**Disclaimer:**Kyou Kara Maou is not mine and I used a Plot Bunny (see A/N)

**Warning:** mpreg

**Rating:** PG13

**A/N:**Plot Bunny #37 from Cheysuli Night: „Before Yuuri came to their world, Wolfram got pregnant. His lover left him soon after. A year later, Yuuri arrives and accidentally proposes. The next day, he meets Wolfram's child."

I highly appreciate any word of constructive critic, as I do not have a Beta at the moment and I am still such a noob

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><p><em>Midsummer Lullaby <em>

_*Prelude*_

It was the melody of an old lullaby his mother had sometimes sung to him many, many years ago that echoed softly through the room, which was flooded with the glowing light of setting sun. With a roll of paper before him and a quill in his hand the youngest son of the former Queen Cecilie von Spitzweg wrote word after word of instruction for his soldiers' training and duties for the following days. For hours he had been sitting here now. At least it felt like that. A powerful yawn fought its way up to be released nobly hidden behind a slender hand, disrupting the hummed lullaby and written word. How much he wished for a little sleep. When the last time he had more sleep than five hours in a row, he couldn't remember. After he finished this paper, maybe he had the luck for a little rest.

So the lullaby continued, mixed with scratching and the clinging sound of a feather tip against a vitreous inkpot.

"_Wind in the woods, over the sea, _

_dancing with the fire, can you see..."_

He doubted that the lyrics he mixed into his humming had much sense at all but he didn't care much. He liked the harmonic tune and if he had forgotten the correct wording he was not to blame, after all it had been long ago since he had last heard it. It surprised him when he remembered the melody at all. For now it helped his mind to not slip away before he was done.

A knock on the door interrupted him again and his head snapped up to attention.

"Yes?", he answered and the door opened. His oldest brother with grey long hair caught in a pony tail and his usual forest green greatcoat entered with his general grumpy face but the younger knew him better, this was his working face between many different other faces which looked similar. "Wolfram", he greeted him.

"What is it, big brother?", the addressed asked while trying to not look sleepy. Of course, his brother saw through it. Tiredness was written all over his blond brother's face. Paler skin than usual and darker rings under his eyes proved of his lack of sleep.

"I wanted to get the report you wanted to read yesterday, I need it", he told him and waited for the other to look through a staple of papers to draw out said document and handle it to the larger demon.

Instead of taking it and leaving he looked down at the blond with examining eyes. Only a few feet away he saw the wooden construction Wolfram had demanded to have.

"Is anything else, Gwendal?" Green eyes waited and hoped for the other to leave so he could continue his work.

"Where is Magdalena?" came the concerned question.

'Not this again', Wolfram broke eye contact unnerved and wrote something on his paper.

"I dismissed her", he harshly replied.

"Wolfram..."

"Don't lecture me again, big brother, I can fully take care myself, I don't need anyone else taking away from me what is mine." Without rising his voice more than a loud whisper he glared up against blue partly surprised, partly annoyed eyes, not allowing any further word, even if he knew it was close to disrespectful the way he behaved. His brother, his own brother should understand him after all.

It was not a surprise to get this reaction before Gwendal could say anything else. "How many times do we have to tell you that Magdalena is not here to take away anything but to support you? You did not sleep again, did you?" It was not a question but a rhetorical remark.

"I don't care, I won't let anyone take him away from me"

Gwendal's eye twitched but he refrained from saying anything else. There was no sense in reasoning him that nobody planned on doing such thing, if he didn't want to listen at all. Instead he sighed with another look to the small construction which after all their third brother Conrad had built as a present out of dark wood.

"At least finish for today, you don't look anything presentable and when Conrad comes back with the new Demon King you better show your best. I see you at dinner." With this Gwendal left the room and him alone again. Wolfram knew better than to see those words as an attack or command. They were merely concern and Wolfram appreciated it, even if it would never convince him to step back for the sake of anything else and if it meant himself.

Silence now filled the room, only the light scrabbling noise of his feather, which he put away again after not even finishing the sentence he had started.

Gwendal would never understand. Nobody would. Not even his mother, who had also tried to persuade him of the amenities it would bring him. No wonder, had she always lived her life to the fullest, even with children demanding her attention. Magdalena hat been pushed into his life without his own approval. When she had been introduced to him, she had her slightly curled light brown hair in a loose bun, which emphasised her gentle brown eyes. Her appearance was one of what you expected of her position. She was of young age, around hundred and twenty, not more and already had a young son of her own, which seemed to suit her even more for the job she was employed for. Her roundish face gave her a quite young impression, though she had the necessary education and had proved herself. At least in his oldest brother's eyes and in everyone else's beside himself. She now lived in the castle close to Wolfram's room with her boy, to be in service when needed.

But he didn't need her most of the time. Or differently said, didn't want her help. He could do this by himself. Even though she offered her help every day multiple times, many times he thanked her and sent her away. He knew she was unhappy with it and would do anything but he didn't really care. She was treated nice and adequately supplied. And though she could give him advise sometimes when he desperately cried out in frustration and loss, he never let her overtake the situation.

A whining noise caught his attention and a small smile spread over his face, even if he had hoped for the silence to last a little longer. He stood up to approach the source, which lay in the wooden cot just a few steps away, on a soft mattress and only covered by a light blanket.

"Are you awake, my little one?", Wolfram cooed softly towards an infant, that obviously just awoke from deep sleep and voiced himself with uncoordinated expressions. His eyes kept closed but his arms wiggled and feet kicked through air and freed themselves from the bothersome piece of cloth. Gently Wolfram touched the small body.

"Are you awake, my little one?", he repeated. "Did you sleep well?"

It was surprising how his voice and mood changed in a matter of seconds when it came to the small helpless creature before him with a head so small it fit easily into his hand for support and a body so delicate and vulnerable that in his opinion no one else than him was allowed to handle him at all. Even if of course he had exceptional moments where his helping hand was of use and she handled the baby with such care as if it was her own son as well.

Softly he caressed against his cheek. The little mouth opened and searched instinctively for the touch to suckle, again relieving a gurgling and a disapproving pouty face when he didn't get what he wanted. When the still baby-blue eyes opened to look up at him, the rest of his small body also stopped its movements slowly. They stared up at him and Wolfram couldn't help but smile at him and was rewarded with a bright open-mouthed smile and laughter. "What have you dreamed about my little one?" Wolfram asked lovingly and brushed over the soft fuzzy brown hair, but his answer was just another gurgling and a kick of small feet into air.

Carefully the former prince took the baby out of his crib. A green bodysuit made of soft material warmed the little demon, which curled up relaxed into the hold. Both hands of the older demon were holding him close to his chest, supporting the head to prevent it from lolling back. Another yawn shook the small body, before also small hands grabbed the fabric of the soldier's bluish jacket.

A sweet smell was radiating from him. Calming as known yet indescribable. Luckily, no need of diaper yet, confirmed after short check. He needed to get his milk first before he realised that he was hungry and started a powerful fit the castle knew too well.

"Let's get you something to eat, I know how hungry you are when you wake up." His language was quite different, very calm and reassuring and more playful instead of demanding, distant and closer to his oldest brother's he always tried to copy for what he thought a more mature expression and he loved taking care of his baby. Loved the feeling and bond towards him, Yes, he was his and no one would ever take this responsibility and joy away from him.

"No one is ever going to take you away, my little Rudolf", he cooed and with a secure embrace he left the room and his duties to fulfil a much more important task.

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><p>tbc...<p> 


	2. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:**Kyou Kara Maou and Plot Bunny are borrowed and not mine (Disclaimer in the Prelude)

**Warning:** mpreg

**Rating:** PG13

**A/N:**Thank you so much for the reviews. I am happy some want to read this as much as I want to write it ^^ This chapter is, yes, based on the original novel you will notice, as I wanted to start it like this, but from the next chapter on I will follow only my course. Please have fun reading it!

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><p><em>Midsummer<em>_Lullaby_

_Chapter__1_

News of the king's arrival in the city seeped into every corner, every street up to the castle. People, women and men, children of every age watched out of their windows if they didn't find a place on the crowded street to cheer at the majestic look of the young noble on a splendid black mare, which had been especially risen and trained for his rider. Beside the young king rode the brown haired third brother of Wolfram and Gwendal, instructing the newcomer in the correct behaviour in front of his people. Astonishment and disbelief adorned the face of the black haired boy while he greeted the surrounding crowd with a pure and wide smile.

Inside the castle the king was awaited since morning, when a member of the bone folk delivered notice of the group's return by afternoon. Of course everybody was excited and busy preparing everything for this event. Bets were made of how the new king would look like, how he would bring change over the Demon Kingdom or how he would mislead it into another disaster like some of his predecessors. Of course every speculation was done whispered behind hiding hands.

A certain blond demon did not listen to the talk anyway. He was already bad tempered towards the new king, sceptical about the new man, who was born and raised in a different world. A world he despised, a world of humans. And so intentions to deny him brooded inside him. How in the world their First King could decide such a filthy breed to be their next regent?

In the notice, which obviously had been written by his mentor Gunther von Christ, who tended to be enormously exaggerating, already enthused over the glorious and decent charisma of a double black, black hair and eyes, the utmost of noble appearance and whatever came to his mind.

Through the window of Gwendal's room he overlooked the agitated swarming of maids and security guards.

"So he is finally here", he remarked. "Let's see what type of wannabe he is, no Gwendal?"

In his arms again he had the baby securely sleeping. When Conrad's group arrived at the castle, Magdalena would take care of him and until then he would not let go of him. Another thing he disliked the one riding up the city for. He knew that with the new king he would not bow to unconditionally would bring duties that prevented him from being with Rudolf. When the arrival was announced he had asked to return to his uncle's lands to raise the child properly and was simply denied. Denied for reasons he didn't want to accept. Just because the First King said so. Which was not even a reason at all anyway. But he had said "I can not let you go" and that was final. And as a full member of the Demon Tribe, he had to listen to this order or take punishment of unknown but cruel amount, whether he liked it or not.

"We will see", was the only answer he got now. Wolfram knew that the other was sceptic as well and in his opinion, his oldest brother fit much more into the position of the Great Demon Kindom's ruler. After all he had managed the country since their mother, the former queen had stepped back and disappeared on her never ending cruises to find the freedom and love she had been denied as queen.

"It is stupid how the whole city is cheering so much. He is human after all."

"Half human", Gwendal corrected him.

"How does it matter if he is only half human?", he rolled his eyes annoyed, turning around to look at his brother at the desk. " He is not an adequate demon, that's enough"

"Wolfram", the older warned him, "Don't infuriate yourself more than necessary and wait, until he arrives, at least" With a thud he closed the map with documents he had worked through and put aside a quill to stand up and join his brother at the window to take a look outside. "He will have to prove himself anyway."

Rudolf had been awoken by the tensing body language of the one holding him and started to move and whine inside the dark blue blanket he was wrapped into. Softly Wolfram whispered to him and rocked him so he would go back to sleep.

The citizens of the capital were still cheering even if, for what Gwendal could see, the group already had reached the path which led up to the castle.

"Let's go down before he arrives", he suggested and started to move towards the door. Wolfram stood still for a few more seconds and tried to figure out the statue of the new king he had to face but they were too far away and so he followed to give Rudolf into Magdalena's care, who already waited for him in her room and not without a bow to the prince took over the task brightly smiling.

"I will come for him in an hour. Prepare yourself to have him most of the evening.", he informed her. "Yes, your excellency", she nodded and with a last kiss on the baby's forehead the blond left, feeling uneasy for leaving the little one behind for so long and for the first time since it's birth.

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><p>"This is to be our new king?", the snotty voice of the blond demon bellowed over the scene he just had to watch. Gwendal was reassuring the black mare which nervously stomped her hooves on the ground and a boy with said black hair and eyes sitting in the dust, unseated from his horse in full gallop. A wimp, was Wolfram's first image of the other. A beautiful face and it had a familiar vibe around it Wolfram instantly loathed and stared down at him. Conrad came running to help. "Your majesty, are you hurt?", he worried which made Wolfram squirm inside even more. Oh, but yes, of course the human loving half demon would pamper the double black beauty.<p>

"Big Brother,", he directed to his oldest, "you are not going to accept this excuse of mixed blood as king, are you?", Wolfram insulted the teenager who was standing up and brushed of the thin layer of dust on his clothes. "Hey!", he objected confused but the voice of lavender haired Gunther von Christ prohibitively interfered to show the bratty prince his place. "Wolfram, don't you dare talking about our precious king! If he wasn't so generous and humble, your life would be forfeited by now!", he argued towards him.

With a pursed lip Wolfram obeyed, glaring towards the intruder, who obviously was not sure how to react in the face of such greeting beside red cheeks.

"Hmpf!", Wolfram grunted and returned back into the castle. He saw no further need to waste his time with this matter, which was even better, because like that he could return to a much more valuable object of interest.

Gunther had turned pale in disbelivment of such behaviour towards their ruler to be.

"Conrad?", the youngest of the group asked the one who had saved him days ago from the grip of death, when he was flushed down a toilet, nearly got killed by hating humans and learned that was in a different world than earth where he was the king of The Great Demon Kingdom. "What just happened?"

"I apologise for this, your majesty, I don't know what has gotten into him."

"Have I done anything wrong?", the black haired, named Yuuri, wondered. Such a beautiful boy and the first think he did was ranting? It made him somewhat angry. He was the one that had been dragged into this strange world where everybody was beautiful and had powers he knew only from fantasy novels.

"I will talk to him," Gwendal handed the reins to a guard and directed his second brother. "You take care of him? We meet at dinner", Conrad nodded and Gwendal bowed to Yuri to apologise himself. "Your Majesty". The deep voice sent chills down Yuri's back.

"He will not punish him, will he?", he asked after the tall demon had left.

Conrad smiled gently yet his eyes seemed a bit sad.

"Wolfram was not allowed to act like this, it was more than disrespectful of him", he explained, "Gwendal will talk to him that is all. He will advise him to apologise to you in an appropriate manner."

Yuuri nodded. So now he at least knew the name of these two. They seemed to have a special position inside the castle, not dressed like maids or guards, but only in fine clothing. And the reaction to Wolfram's behaviour was not one Yuri knew from movies when someone from underclass dared to speak against his king. They were tortured and finally hanged for all to see as a warning.

"Your Majesty, if you allow, I bring you to your room, so you can refresh and rest a little before dinner"

That suggestion brought back the wide smile on Yuri's face. To get out of this sweaty and stiff school uniform and good hot bath and then a good meal! He could eat a whole steak or two bowls of curry, no three. Wait, if they had such meals like that?

"Good idea", he cheered anyway and followed his friend into the castle.

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><p>Humiliation! What for? How dared the wimp to do this and in front of his family?<p>

With the painful sting on his left cheek a dark red colour spread all over his face. His fists were ready to punch and his body trembled in restraint.

"Please take it back, your majesty!", the young king was begged from different sides, but he did not listen.

"Never!", he refused, "It is one thing if he bad-mouths me, but when he started to insult my mother he pushed it over." Angered his eyes glared against the emerald green ones. "

"So you say, this is your final decision? Your are not going to take it back?", the clear voice of the former Queen Cecilie von Spitzweg and, Yuri had learned the mother of Conrad, Gwendal and Wolfram, filled the room.

How often did he have to say it? "No, I am not going to take it back!", he answered

The colour of Wolfram's face changed from red to white. `No! No, he must take it back! Take it back!`he thought desperately. How could he not know?

"Wonderful!" Instead of clearing the situation, his mother happily congratulated on the proposal. Wolfram felt betrayed and his anger grew anew to full extend. How could they let this happen?

It did not help at all to realise that the other didn't know what he had done and it was called official anyway?

Wolfram did not listen to what Conrad and Gunther were debating with Yuri, who already told them, it was not possible.

"He is a boy and so am I! We can't marry!"

As soon as those words left his mouth, the shattering sound of dishes being swished down from the desk onto the floor silenced the room and drew everybody's attention to the blond demon who's hand had just been asked for marriage.

"NEVER in my life I have been humiliated like this!", Wolfram fussed.

Did they not understand? How could they let engage them like this? He, engaged to a stupid young, inexperienced wimpy excuse of a half demon. What should happen now? What would be with Rudolf?

Rudolf!

He could never allow to empower this creature over his little one, who knew what could happen or be decided. Maybe he would even take him away and do whatever filled this mind that was raised among humans. The thought alone of the other taking the baby into his filthy hands made Wolfram sick.

He could not let this happen! He had to cancel it, but it would not be that easy to decline such a proposal, if it was truly the king standing before him.. With a look at the table he noticed a single knife lingering on the edge and it gave him the best idea. He just had to prove him to be a weakling, possibly not the one Conrad was convinced of him to be. The same moment he had the thought he had already brushed off the metallic object from the table directly to Yuri's feet.

"Be careful, you could hurt somebody", the other jumped back and then bent down to pick it up. The others' words of horror not to take it went unrecognised, as he thought about what the hell was going on and why the blond hated him so much.

"Ha!", came the triumphant voice above him. Confused Yuri looked up into now eyes burning with confident of victory. "You picked it up!"

"What?", Yuri asked and nearly slipped the knife in his hand. This meant no good again.

"You picked it up, so you accept my challenge! We see tomorrow at midday. You decide the weapons", Wolfram explained with crossed arms.

Gwendal was talking to his mother silently, but Yuri did not understand and instead looked for help from Conrad, who massaged his forehead.

In just what kind of mess had he gotten himself into...

"I ask for permission to leave" Yuri looked back to the blond who talked to his brother Gwendal, who simply nodded. It would be better than having another disaster possibly happen.

Cecilie broadened her smile. "I will come with you, Wolfie", she chippered. But before she followed the already leaving demon she approached the double black to caress his cheek. "Don't worry your majesty, he will never hurt your beauty. Just take good care of him!" For a short moment Yuri gulped as he believed to see what was concerned thread of a mother for her child. He simply nodded even if he did not understand what she meant by that.

Back was her other smile and she laid her hand on Conrad's shoulder first and then on Gwendal's to wish them a lovely good night. Then she was gone and so was the blond prince.

Outside the former queen called for her youngest son to wait for her as he directed to the only one you would never betray him like the rest of his family just did.

"Wolfie, wait!", she called, but the called one did not listen. Why should he? All he got were orders. He had enough of obeying, especially now. His mother caught up anyway.

"Mother, by all respect, I do not understand what you just did", he told her with angry voice. After all she had called it official.

"Oh Wolfram, you know the traditions. And he showed so much passion in the slap, could you not see?" He could actually hear her eyer sparkle. His cheeks coloured red. How could she not take this seriously? His feet came to a halt and he starred up at her. He loved his mother dearly and respected when she decided to step down from the thrown but sometimes she was just out of her mind.

"I just want the best for you", she sighed.

"As if the engagement to a total stranger, a human after all would be the best for me. Did you think a second about it? How could he bring anything else than chaos?", he argued back. "Do you know what can happen to Rudolf, if he learns about him? I will have to give him away, I bet! You easily put his existence on a risk I can't defend him against, less spoken he could defend himself."

"I wish you would stop thinking as if everybody was only after you or Rudolf", Cecilie concerned. "Since Fynn disappeared you were never the same, you know?"

Wolfram flinched.

"You should give him a chance. He has a good soul, you know?" Softly smiling she looked into his face even though he denied to look back. "Just because one did not see what precious gift you made him means that other's look at you the same, Wolf"

They have reached their destination.

Wolfram put his hand on the handle. "I will do whatever is necessary to proof that he is not who everybody thinks he is. Just because he has a cute face and noble appearance you most likely are all fooled by him, mother."

Finally he looked up at her. "I really don't see why you of all do not understand my reasons."

He opened the door and went inside. He knew his mother would follow into the room anyway to take a look at her grandchild, if he wanted or not, so he didn't close it completely.

Cecilie sighed. Of course she understood. When Wolfram's father had left she had felt lost for a long time. It was not because she had to let go the one she loved. Gwendal's father had died in conquer, Conrad's, being human had to leave in the middle of the night and was thought dead. But Wolfram's father had in the end told her he had fulfilled his duty and left her broken hearted with a child underneath her heart, although after a long time of grieving he had been the first one she had let enter her heart, even if it had been a marriage called by the First King. He had never shown interest in his child she had given any possible attention she could give him like Wolfram did now, until the moment Conrad's father reappeared many years later to reunite before he died of old age soon after.

She had many acquaintances in order to find a father for Wolfram and also to find someone to hold herself in the nights. Her third son never was introduced to one of them as none of them were right to father him at all in Cecilie's opinion and also his brother Conrad had caught the boy inside his heart and spent every single minute possible with him.

It was not before Wolfram turned sixty-five and too old to have a stranger be introduced as his father, that a proud demon she met on a midsummer banquet started to capture her heart and courted her with all honesty and modesty that she found the peace which in the end helped her decide that she had enough of following the First King's orders and freed herself.

She really hoped for Wolfram not to suffer as long as she had. He needed someone to drag him out of this vicious circle.

And somewhere deep inside she had a hopeful feeling that the soul she had known in her past life so well, could success.

With this she entered the room where the younger demon already babbled and cooed and hummed to the little creature in it's blanket in his arms.

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><p>tbc...<p> 


	3. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** Kyou Kara Maou and Plot Bunny are borrowed and not mine (Disclaimer in the Prelude)

**Warning:** mpreg

**Rating:** PG13

**A/N: **Again thank you all for the reviews and the watches. I had to reuse a bit of the original plot again, I hope you can forgive me. But I hope it is not too strange how I changed and finished it. I have my reason for it, you will see in a later chapter. I liked writing this chapter and I hope you like it too!

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><p><em>Midsummer<em>_ Lullaby_

_Chapter__ 2  
><em>

It was in the middle of the night when not surprisingly Wolfram awoke to the sound of crying beside his bed. He got up half asleep to cross the few steps distance to the crib. If Rudolf was still asleep he would just hum a bit and wait for the little one to settle down sleeping calmly again. It worked better than ripping the baby out of a bad dream as it would just make him cry even more and the night worse than enduring the moments of dreaming and be a fully rested child in the morning, laughing brightly and obviously having forgotten about the dream he had. But when he noticed the baby was awake he took him out of the crib. It didn't make the crying stop and Wolfram knew why. He rocked him against his shoulder.

"Did you have a nightmare, my little one?", he whispered. "Don't be afraid, I'm here"

It didn't reassure Rudolf at all. A baby this young was quite sensitive. He didn't like it to be left behind earlier that day either and was in a bad mood since then. Or had it been Wolfram's heated mood, when he picked him up that had made him have a fit earlier they didn't know.

He walked through the room to the window to look outside while humming the lullaby that always worked. Even if it took some time. In the end he always calmed down.  
>There was movement down in the gardens. Only when his eyes got used to the darkness Wolfram recognised the shadows standing apart some meters throwing something at each other. A ball. This strange game Conrad always played with the children of the human village close to the borders. He had tried to make Wolfram play this game many times but always got a harsh removal. Same brother played it with the newly arrived king-yet-to-be-proven now. Yuri was his name, wasn't it? His drowsy mind and the baby in his arms did not allow more than watching the scene. They were talking and Wolfram wondered what the conversation was about.<p>

Rudolf stopped his crying and settled on a whining tune after some minutes. Soon he would be asleep again. which Wolfram welcomed much so he would not have to face his fight tired. He wondered why his opponent was still up and played around. If he took the challenge seriously he would be asleep by now instead of throwing a stupid ball around. Like that he just showed how irresponsible he was. And how easy he took the matter. Did he take it serious at all? How not surprisingly if not. Just what wanted his mother of him to see in this black haired boy? Without the amount of anger he had felt before their first meeting and after dinner, just because he was too tired to get upset and the baby took every bad mood of him as a reason to feel uncomfortable and cry in protest, the words of his mother tried to seep through his brain.

Even from far distance Wolfram could see the bright smile that plastered the young face. Wolfram could not take away his eyes off him. But then it felt familiar enough to tug painfully at his heart.  
>He had the same. The same smile that had already caught him once, courted him, embraced him in the dark hours, had promised to never leave him during passionate nights.<p>

Rudolf had been the result of those nights and was the only thing left behind when the made promises dissolved themselves without a word. Lynn hadn't said a word, just held his blond love mate tight to himself when Wolfram's symptoms got a name. Wolfram often thought how he should have seen the signs that Lynn was not comfortable with becoming a father. Everytime the topic was brought up he tensed enough for Wolfram to see if not for others. Yet he never told him he didn't want it or that he would not take responsibility or that Wolfram should get rid of it, even encouraged Wolfram to decide that he wanted. So Wolfram wanted to assume he needed time to adjust as he needed himself. It had been a surprise for them both after all. So they didn't talk much about it at first. And then, two weeks later, Wolfram woke up alone and had to realise that part of his lover's clothes were gone too...

On the table had been a short notice.

Nobody had seen him leave, nobody knew where he disappeared to, if he had been forced by anybody to go or left on his own. Shocked, with the crumpled paper in his fist, Wolfram had ran to the stables, shouting the brown haired's name on top of his lungs, not caring that he was barefoot and only wearing a light nightgown, just to notice, that the white stallion beside his own was gone too.  
>A stable boy found him crying on the floor, cramping too and called for help immediately. Wolfram nearly lost the little one due to the stress and had been ordered to bed for two weeks.<p>

It was during this time that Wolfram talked a lot with Gisela and they became even closer than they already were. Also he had decided to do everything in his power to protect the little demon inside him. The note Lynn had left behind always laid on his bedside table and every time he read it, Wolfram couldn't help but cry and start to ponder about the why. Why then? Why without a word? Why had he not talked to him? Where did he go? All agents around the country were informed about the missing young noble but the search had been discontinued weeks after. He obviously didn't want to be found and there was no evidence for a crime to justify the further usage of resources.

The weeks went on and Wolfram glowed in the light of the change in his body. The life growing inside him started to move one evening, when its bearer again stared at the notice in his hand and asked himself the same unanswered questions again and again, gently rubbing the growing bump. All thoughts stopped in the same second when he was aware of this new feeling. A movement underneath his hand, inside him with nothing he could compare it to.  
>He stared in wonder where he felt it, tried to feel it again. And he was rewarded with another movement inside. "Hey little one, is that you?", he asked with a face splitting smile towards his belly. He had never talked to the baby before but now that the one growing inside him started to communicate with him, he couldn't help but respond. And then Wolfram understood. From that moment on it was not just something growing inside him but his parental instincts connected to their cause even more. The movement stopped and Wolfram lost himself in happy and gentle thoughts and rubbing. He noticed the paper he had let fallen to the floor when the baby moved and picked it up. Staring at it again he read the words on it.<p>

Sighing he stood up and went to the fireplace. If he wanted to move on, he could not hope for Lynn to come back anymore, or believe those words he had to concentrate on something more important. It had been too long already.

"You didn't, otherwise you wouldn't have left us", he spoke to the message and threw the note into the fire and watched the words burn.

_´I love you´_

Now he stood here with the baby in his arms already sleeping again and staring down into the dark yard. He often didn't know what to feel towards Lynn for leaving them. He felt angered and betrayed, wanted to scream at him and hit him and sometimes he just missed him and hoped for him to just come back, to embrace him and their son, telling him how it was all a mistake he had done or how he had been on a surprise trip and got lost.

Lost in thoughts he noticed his older brother looking up to his window too late. Paling he saw that also this young human mix looked up at him with a questioning face. Instantly Wolfram hid the baby in his arms and retreated into the blackness of his room. Light panic started to fill him. Did he see Rudolf? No, they hopefully were too far away to identify anything. Or had Conrad told him? He walked backwards until he felt his bed and sat down. No, he would not allow to happen anything to his little one. Not even a king would take him away. He kissed the baby's hair for this repeatened promise.

Carefully he put the sleeping demon back into his crib and watched him for a little longer before going back to sleep himself.

* * *

><p>"Conrad, what kind of character is Wolfram?"<p>

The brown haired soldier caught the ball thrown at him with the leathery glove.

"Would he betray me?", Yuri asked, although he was aware he was asking a brother. After all, with someone in the castle he couldn't trust, being a king might be quite impossible.

A head shake. "No, he wouldn't, your Majesty" was the answer. "He might be hot blooded and quite impulsive, but as long it benefits the Demon Tribe he obeys, even if he hates the king."

Yuri caught the ball and threw it back. "But why does he hate me? I didn't do anything, I never even asked to be here..."

Conrad had noticed his brother at the window watching them and so had Yuri, following the other's eyes. Yuri saw Wolfram holding something in his arms but couldn't put it together before Wolfram suddenly disappeared.

The second brother did not know what to answer right away. To say the third brother was just like that was not correct completely. To say it surprised him himself how Wolfram behaved was not true either.  
>"He doesn't hate you, your Majesty. When you get to know him better you will understand."<p>

Yuri couldn't really believe that but decided to trust the word and simply nodded.  
>"So hopefully he is not going to kill me either?" he asked with a nervous laugh. To hope was the correct wording.<p>

"I will interfere if necessary", Conrad replied and Yuri gulped.

"He would?"

"No one is going to hurt you, your Majesty. Also it is in your power to decide the weapon"  
>Oh, yes that was true. But what would he decide for? He looked at the sword that lent against the wall. He despised violence, which after all brought him into this misery that still felt like a dream he had to wake up from.<p>

"I am sure you will decide wisely," Conrad interrupted his thoughts with a smile as if reading them.

"Yeah, I guess...I mean, what can he do anyway? He is surely good with a sword but he is not much older than I am if not younger," he grinned. "How much experience can he have?"  
>Conrad cleared his throat. "You Majesty, you should not judge too fast by the way he looks. He is a demon and demons age five times slower than humans, you see"<p>

"What?", Yuri stumbled backwards. "So he is...he is..."

"Eighty-two, your Majesty"

Yuri sat down in surprise. "Eighty-two? He is an old man! How can he look so incredibly cute with this age?"  
>Conrad snickered. "He is not old for a demon, Your Majesty", he explained. "If he would be human, he would have the way of thinking like a teenager, you could say"<p>

"But if he is eighty two and looks like a sixteen year old, he has at least fifty-four years of experience in fighting...He will kill me..." His head between his hands he already imagined to be sliced into pieces by the blond boy.

Conrad sighed and approached his king, giving him a hand to stand up. "I promised, no one is going to hurt you", he gently smiled and was rewarded with a smile by the young human after some seconds.  
>"I will count on you, Conrad", he grinned, still uneasy and then stretched. "I think I should go to sleep now. Maybe I get an idea after a good rest."<br>Conrad just nodded, picked up the sword and accompanied the young king to his room.

Yuri laid awake for some time longer after changing into a comfortable pyjama and relaxing into the soft mattress in this large dream of a bed. If this was also part of him being a king he could continue this dream for a little longer maybe.  
>He could not fight sleep for long, just hoped that Conrad would keep his word of saving him before the blond demon lost his mind and killed him in front of everyone. What could he do to put the fighting experience of the blond and his own missing experience in this field to a draw level? He had to persuade Wolfram to talk about this whole engagement-thing. If he wanted to they could just forget about it and let it go. And start from anew. That would be the best solution. There was no need to fight about it at all. It was ridiculous anyway. How could two people get engaged by slapping each other?<br>Yuri snorted and drifted away to sleep, following his thoughts to next day's events.

* * *

><p>They stood apart from each other, twenty feet between them.<p>

Sun was shining, just a few clouds past the blue sky over Blood Pledge Castle. They confronted each other in the open areaway to the gardens.

Wolfram wore a blue uniform and had his sword on his left hip. His face showed of determination and anticipation of the king's chosen weapon to fight with.  
>Yuri gulped but stood confidentely himself in his black uniform.. There was tension in the air. On the side the rest of the family and Gunther stood and watched tensly. Only Cecilie, the only one sitting on a confortable stool of red velvet smiled brightly and wished them both good luck.<br>Yuri smiled back nervously but then put his attention on the blond fully.

"Didn't you forget your sword?", Wolfram smirked. "So tell me, what rules did you choose?", he demanded to know.

To everyone's surprise Yuri, instead of answering, started to unbutton his black jacket. It was the only thing he could think of to make it honourable, yet disarm the blond.  
>"We will have a Sumo Duell", he explained and could see the colour disappear from Wolfram's face.<p>

"Why the hell do you take your clothes off?"

"You take off your clothes too, this is a duell without weapons", he was told.

"What kind of duell is without weapons? This is absurd!" Wolfram would not blame himself like this in front of everyone.

"You told me to choose. I did. And know undress", Yuri persisted, already without his white shirt, which he just threw aside, now with a naked upper body, which was delightfully commented by Cecilie.

"I am absolutely NOT going to undress like this in public!", Wolfram refused furiously.

Yuri sighed. This blond demon was hard to understand.

"Well, okay then, you can keep your clothes on.", He scratched his head. If he must.

With a branch he picked up from the ground Yuri then drew a large circle into the dust on the ground and two lines in the middle opposite from each other.

"We face each other in the middle. The duell starts, when the spirit is released", While he explained the rules, he got into position and was mirrored by a very suspicious Wolfram. "The first one that steps out of the circle or falls to the ground, looses."

Gunther on the side cheered and gloryfied the honorable fight without bloodshed. Conrad smiled happily and Gwendal grunted as if sharing the youngest brother's thoughts.

The seconds elapsed endlessly while the duelists stared into each other's eyes, green fire against dark-grey sea. They lost themselves in each other, forgot everything else around them...

And then it was over. In the matter of a mere second, when suddenly Yuri grabbed Wolfram by the hips and pushed him hard outside of the ring. Bewildered the blond sat there with a hurting back, not understanding what just happened before the lavender haired instructor started to applaud and congratulated his king to this wonderful and honourable win.

What? This wimp had won? What was that for a fight? Now Conrad congratulated him too and Yuri just grinned shamelessly. This was not going to happen. He would not surrender like this.  
>As fast as he could he got back on his feet an drew his sword.<p>

"Wolfram!", Gwendal called his brother to reason, who didn't think of listening at all.

"Oh no, this is not over, you...you...", he couldn't even find a proper words for this insulting intruder. And then he already let out a battlecry and ran towards the black haired to show him what it meant to fight for honour..

"Your Majesty!", Yuri heard Conrad's voice from aside and reacted fast enough to catch the sword he had at least tried to train with the day before. Conrad had brought it with him to the duell? He caught it just in time to dodge the powerful swing of Wolfram's sword with it.

"You will fight like a king and win like a king, if you are the true one!", Wolfram bellowed and continued to strike his opponent so fast, Yuri could do nothing than dodge as good as possible and retreat. He had no idea what to do and his strenght abandoned him so with an especially hard strike he lost the grip on his sword he didn't even had the chance to draw properly and was pushed from his feet to the ground.

His backside hurt and the metalic clangor of a sword on the stone floor could be heard.

"Your Majesty!", Conrad shout and Yuri already noticed the approach of his friend. His eyes were firmly closed and he hid behind protetcitive arms against another hit of his opponent.  
>He dared to look up just a bit. Conrad knelt down beside him. "Are you hurt?", he asked worried. Yuri shook his head. "I don't think so..:"<br>Then he looked up completely and caught sight of the blond soldier who was looking down at him with a glaring red face and bristle with anger. His sword was still drawn, yet he appearantly was not up to another attack.  
>Well, after all, he had won, hadn't he? His green eyes burned with a fire that made Yuri gulp nervously.<p>

Before he could say anything Gwendal called his youngest brother again in a harsh commanding tone and was punished with a fierce glare.  
>Niftily the blond finally put his sword into its scabbard.<p>

Wolfram waited until Conrad had helped the younger back to his feet to pat off the dust on his clothes. ´What would happen now?´, Yuri asked himself and watched the other with expectant and unsure eyes. Now everything was solved, wasn't it? It was in Yuri's opinion at least, but seemingly Wolfram was not happy with his victory.

"I won't accept that!", he then confirmed the suspicion and as it seemed, he himself was the only one surprised by this exclamation. A look to the rest of the group made him sure of that. What did he mean?

"What..?"

"You did not prove anything!", Wolfram interupted him. "I won't accept this and demand revenge! You wimpy excuse of a king should better prepare for a fight worth your status and the Demon Tribe! A fight without fighting? A win without proper weapons? How should you ever represent the powerful tribe with such a weak opposition? I could kill you in a mere second, if I was after your life!"

"Wolfram!", Gwendal bellowed to stop the demon from disrespecting the king any further. Their mother looked kind of sad at what her son so openly said. And Yuri stood there astonished with angered brows for the accusations thrown at him. Why did he put him down any further? Was the win not enough for him? How could he expect Yuri to fight like an expert when he never in his life had a sword in his hands before last night.  
>Again Wolfram just walked away back into the castle. Yuri felt even more angered by the blond's behaviour. How did he allow himself to behave like that? He had done nothing wrong! He had not hurt him and had no intention of hurting or abuse anyone. As if he was the type to do this. He had been often called names like Shibuya Yuuri, Harajuku Fuuri, but never had he been bad-mouthed like this. Just like the other day when Wolfram had bad-mouthed his mother which just started all of this.<p>

A hand on his shoulder distracted his mind away from the door where Wolfram had disappeared to. He smiled slightly up at Conrad. "What did I do wrong now, Conrad?, he asked.

"Your Majesty, don't worry about him. He will calm down."

"I didn't want to upset him at all. He even won. Why is he so angry this time? If he is always like that..."

With a small `Oh` Conrad understood Yuri's point. He shook his head.

"He did not win", he explained.

"You did."

* * *

><p>tbc...<p> 


End file.
